The authors named factors such as young age, pre-existing psychological problems, lack of social support and a history of abuse as factors that contribute to fear of labor. The researchers also suggested that anxiety and fear could increase levels of stress hormones, which are associated with weaker contractions, though their theory is yet to be proven.

Lead author Dr. Samantha Salvesen Adams said in a release that 89 percent of women who were classified as “afraid” of labor still managed to delivery vaginally, even though "longer labor duration increases the risk of instrumental vaginal delivery and emergency caesarean section," she said. "However, it is important to note that a large proportion of women with a fear of childbirth successfully had a vaginal delivery and therefore elective Cesarean delivery should not be routinely recommended."